Travel Destinations

Serra da Mantiqueira

Brazil Tours / São Paulo - The Serra da Mantiqueira Environmental Protection Area is a Sustainable Use Conservation Unit of the Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. Among others, it includes the colonial nucleus of Visconde de Mauá and surrounds the Itatiaia National Park and Campos do Jordão State Park (see map).

The Mantiqueira mountain chain is of Cenozoic origin (see geology) and parallels the coastal Serra do Mar for about 320 km. It is limited to the northwest by the Paraná Basin and to the southeast by the Upper Paraíba Valley.

Serra da Mantiqueira's flora and fauna is extremely rich and divided according to altitudinal zones. There is tropical rainforest up to 1.500 m and seasonal rainforest between 1.500 to 2.000 m with significant concentrations of of Araucária trees. Above 2.000 m occur the so-called "Campos de Altitude" or altitude fields.

Serra da Mantiqueira became a center for ecotourism in southeast Brazil, principally for hiking / trekking and mountain bike tours.

See also: Trails & Tours , Photos

Localization: W 46° 51' / S 21° 50'

Total Area: 422.873 ha

Elevation: 0 - 2.798 m

Climate: Cfb

Biome: Mata Atlântica

Ecosystems: Tropical / Seasonal Rainforest,
Campos de Altitude

Peaks: Pedra Grande (1.780 m)
             Carrasco (2.013 m)
             Pico dos Marins (2.421 m)
             Pedra da Mina (2.798 m)